One of the most stressful aspects of parenting is the pressure. There is a practical expectation for us to function well, to provide for our children, and to do this we need to be at our best. None of us are robots though, or have superpowers, and to consistently give our best can only lead to burn out and resentment. As a counterweight to these social expectations and pressures, us parents need constant reminders to pause, unwind and reset.
Many of us also juggle other challenging realities, such as pressures at work, complications in our relationships with partners, parents and friends, or emotional or mental health issues within ourselves. As the demands of parenting stretch us to our limits, we start to see the weak points in our support network or our own coping skills and these can take a toll, not only on our family, but more importantly, on our sense of who we are.
We may not want to admit the impact of these difficulties, instead forcing ourselves to struggle through each day with a gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction with our circumstances, our lost opportunities and even our kids. It’s a painful place to be, but it can happen easily and is difficult to get out of alone. If you’ve felt like this, you may have heard someone recommend counselling but not really know what it is or how it can help. You may think it is only for people who’ve experienced worse than you, that you should be able to cope as you are. And it is true that many people do and can cope with terrible experiences and get on okay without counselling.
However, before you dismiss it, take a moment to consider this: How many people in your life can you really open up to and be honest with? How many of those listen without judgement and help you to work out your own solution without adding their own opinion? Just imagine for a moment, being able to open up to someone who accepts and understands your struggles and your reactions, and offers you insights and encouragement that you really can find the answers to the problems you face. Imagine having someone reminding you that you are as important as your children, helping you find ways to meet your own needs as well as your kids’.
As a parent, getting the right support at the right time can make a huge difference for you and your family, and we are sensitive to the pressures you face as you raise your children. Asking for help is a brave step and rest assured you will be met with compassion and acceptance at Dream Your Future Families. We have helped many parents come to terms with bereavement, separation, abuse and blended families. We have supported parents with stress, low self-esteem, self-doubt and mental health issues. We are here for you too, and are very happy to be able to offer subsidised counselling for your benefit. If you are a parent and you think counselling might be for you, visit our counselling page or contact us for an informal chat.
Due to the restrictions incurred by Covid19, the majority of our sessions are provided online and by telephone, but we do have some limited face-to-face sessions at Ledbury Children's Centre for those in need.